Do filters help or can benefits be done with photoshop?

Ambient light. Just wondering if there's any real difference in filters other than instant gratification on colors?

Yes. The difference is that there is more red data in the resulting image. You can get usable web images with no filter (often), but when you print it out, you'll see that the image won't quite hold up...

Thanks Eric.

Another question - at the surface when the images are redish(with filter), can I photoshop that down to a normal level?

You can, but it's cheating.

One way to do that is to copy the layer, desaturate red in the copied layer, apply a layer mask, and paint in the desaturated layer over the parts you want to remove red from.

So if I do a fair amount of surface shots or shots within the top 10 feet, should I bother with a filter?

The typical UR Pro blue water filter would be too strong for the top ten feet, so if you use one a weaker filter would be best. I think the best advise is to not bother in the top ten feet unless you are a perfectionist. If you can, shoot RAW so that you have total control over white balance. It's unlikely that auto white balance alone will work well for you even in the top ten feet.

Do you us a filter when shooting macro? Does it go directly on the lens or on the port.

The filters go on the port. So you can take them on and off during a dive.

They are really only good from 15-20 feet, down to 40 or 50, depending on water clarity, and sunlight.

Yes, they can be used for macro, but only if trying to shot macro with ambient light.

99% of macro uses a flash, to get enough light, for a high f-stop shot, (trying to maximize DOF for the macro).

Don

That's what I thought. Do they make filters that fit large dome ports? I am planning on getting the Ikelite dome port for the WAL on my 8080.

I've never seen anyone making them for dome ports.

You might email ikelite, and ask them.

Many of the very wide-angle lenses have a slot for inserting gel filters internally, usually at the rear of the lens itself. Thus, no need for a screw-in lens filter or a filter for the dome port. At any significant depth, you'll need strobes for enough light to bring out color. Below a certain level, these color correction filters begin to lose their effectiveness, in my experience.

You may be able to sandwich a screw on filter in between the camera and the add-on wide angle lens for your Olympus lens. I would shoot for an FL-D or FL-D screw on filter.

Cheers

James